Daniela Roland, Franklin County Dairy Educator
Women play a critical role in agriculture, yet they often face unique challenges related to access to training, professional networks, and farm management resources. Research shows that when women are empowered in agriculture, entire communities benefit. A recent Penn State and University of Wisconsin–Madison study found that U.S. counties with more women farmers experience longer life expectancies, lower poverty rates, and higher nonfarm entrepreneurship, highlighting the value of women’s role in agriculture (Schmidt et al 2024).
According to the 2022 USDA Ag Census, women accounted for 35% of the agriculture producers in Pennsylvania. Despite their growing presence, women in agriculture often report challenges, including limited access to mentorship, gender bias, and difficulties securing capital and training opportunities. At the same time, evidence shows that women farmers frequently center their decisions on community well-being, environmental stewardship, and long-term sustainability. These factors are linked to measurable improvements in local quality of life (Schmidt et al 2024).
To support and strengthen the skills of women working in dairy, Penn State Extension is hosting the next Herds and Her: Empowering Women in Dairy Workshop on March 11, 2026, in Chambersburg, PA. This interactive workshop is designed specifically for women dairy owners, managers, and employees who want practical, farm-ready skills they can take home and apply immediately.
What Participants Will Learn
The Herds and Her workshop delivers actionable learning through interactive instruction and peer-to-peer engagement. The program agenda is as follows:
9:30 a.m. Registration
9:45 a.m. Farm Incident Preparedness
11:00 am Using DHIA Records to Determine Selective Dry Cow Therapy Methods
12:00 p.m. Lunch
12:45 p.m. Financial Foundations
1:15 p.m. What Calf Behavior Tells Us About Comfort and Health
2:00 p.m. Wrap up and adjourn
Each session is designed to reinforce safe and effective management practices and strengthen participants’ ability to make informed decisions on their own dairy operations.
Event Details
-Date and time: March 11, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
-Location: Ag Heritage Building (next to the Franklin County Extension Office), 181 Franklin Farm Lane, Chambersburg, PA 17202
-Cost: $15 (lunch included)
To register online, go to https://extension.psu.edu/herds-and-her-empowering-women-in-dairy or to register by phone call 877-345-0691.
Contact Daniela Roland at 717-809-2194 or djr6158@psu.edu with questions or for more information.
References
Schmidt, C., S.C. Deller, S. J. Goetz. 2024. Women farmers and community well-being under modeling uncertainty. J. Applied Economic Perspective and Policy. 46:1 pp. 275-299.
